IT SURE IS interesting to see how far the world of RTF models has come in
recent years. The range of size and capabilities continues to expand. The
prices of many are also appealing. I have dabbled with some of the smaller
RTFs.
My reason for mentioning this growing segment of the model aviation
world is to comment on things that some innovative modelers are doing with
these products. Many of the RTFs seem to have been introduced as toys
rather than something a person who is already in the hobby of flying objects
would want. Perhaps because of the popularity of the “toys” in the
established community of modelers, more and more of the mainstream
model aviation companies are now making respectable RTF products.
Many current RTFs offer some nice components to modelers who like to
have more of a hand in creating their flying objects. One that I see mentioned
often lately is the ParkZone Vapor. It is a nice
micro RC RTF that can be flown in tiny indoor
spaces.
An excellent feature of the Vapor is the use
of a 2.4 GHz DSM2 digital spread spectrum
radio system. The receiver is a small “brick”
that contains the receiver, two servos, and a
motor speed control. The complete airborne
package weighs only 3.3 grams and is
approximately 1 inch square.
It did not take long for people who build their
models to start experimenting with the
ParkZone brick radio. The small size and
integrated component layout are ideal for indoor
flyers and some of the smaller outdoor
airplanes.
Although a small model is nothing new,
dealing with the smaller components has often
kept people from trying this enjoyable aspect of
the hobby. The brick layout of the ParkZone
radio is a big help in getting around that issue.
You don’t have to deal with installing and
wiring servos, or actuators, inside a small
airframe.
With the ParkZone brick, the electrical
hookup is already completed. You just need to
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
RTF models: a boon to the builder
Also included in this column:
• Dare Design extra-light
• Half-size vintage Pattern
models
• New short kits from Pat
Tritle
John Krouse makes his 20-inch indoor flyer easier to transport by using
plug-in wing panels. The model is powered with a 6mm pager motor.
John Krouse is also taking advantage of the brick radio system
that comes from a ParkZone Vapor RTF model.
George Laskar used the ParkZone brick radio to convert this 28-inch-span FF Dare
Design Aeronca Chief to RC. It flies great at 1.5 ounces.
April 2009 101
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 10:02 AM Page 101
102 MODEL AVIATION
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products built this half-size Kasmirski Orion and is offering
kits. A three-cell Li-Poly battery powers the Himax 2808 motor.
Another beauty from Pat Tritle is available as a short kit. He designs so quickly that his
manufacturing clients can’t all keep up.
What Pat’s beautiful general-aviation twin looks like in the air.
The prototype uses Suppo motors from LightFlite RC.
Another new short kit from Pat Tritle is his fantasy-scale 42-inchspan
Inspirer biplane. The stylish Cub cowling is tastefully employed.
plug in the motor, run the pushrods, and mount
the single-cell Li-Poly battery. That makes life
in the small RC world so much easier.
I do have some examples of models set up
with the ParkZone brick radio. One that is
intended for indoor flying comes from regular
contributor John Krouse.
If you recall any of John’s models from past
columns, you might know that he likes to
innovate. His current project explores the use of
a ParkZone brick radio along with issues
associated with transporting an aircraft from
home to the flying site.
The photos that John provided show his
foam-wing airplane. Spanning 20 inches, it
becomes more of a handful to transport.
Most indoor models are carried inside a box
to protect them from wind and other elements
between their storage spaces and flying spaces.
Rather than find or build a box large enough for
a long wing, John adopted a common outdoorsailplane
practice of setting up the wing with
plug-in panels.
He uses small carbon-fiber tubes in each
wing half that slide onto piano-wire stubs on the
fuselage pylon—a nice arrangement. The closeup
photo shows the wing mounts along with the
ParkZone brick radio.
The model is powered with a 6mm pager
motor that drives a 4-inch propeller through a
5.4:1 Gasparin gearbox. A 70 mAh Li-Poly
single-cell battery is used for energy, and the
total flying weight is 18 grams (.6 ounce). The
stock Vapor weighs 15 grams.
The open layout of John’s model makes it
easy to see the nicely integrated package of the
ParkZone brick radio. You can see how easy it
is to hook up the pushrods, motor, and battery.
Keep this in mind for the next project I am
featuring.
Pat Tritle let me know about a friend, George
Laskar, who has used a ParkZone brick radio to
convert a rubber-powered FF Aeronca Chief kit
from Dare Design and Engineering to an
electric-powered RC model. It is a nice
example of what can be done with the
ParkZone brick for models to be flown in
outdoor small-field venues.
The Chief has a wingspan of 28 inches. You
might think, as I did, that an airplane that size is
too large for the ParkZone brick. George has
shown us not to limit our thinking. His RC
Aeronca Chief that sports Coverite Microlite
covering weighs only 1.5 ounces and performs
well using a 110 mAh single Li-Poly cell.
Based on John Krouse’s and George
Laskar’s models, I can see an almost unlimited
set of possibilities for the ParkZone brick radio
system. Apparently Bob Selman does too; he is
now selling the radio separately.
You no longer have to buy a complete RTF
package to gain access to the system. Please see
the “Sources” listing at the end for Bob’s
contact information.
Half-Size Vintage Pattern Models—A
Continuing Story: In past columns I have
shared information about half-size versions of
the Fred Dunn Astro-Hog and Ed Kasmirski
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:25 AM Page 102
Taurus that I built. They give me a feel for the
vintage RC Aerobatics (Pattern) aircraft at my
favorite small-field venues.
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products is
also interested in half-size vintage Pattern
airplanes. He is adding some to his lineup of
laser-cut kits.
To get things started, Brian built a half-size
Ed Kasmirski Orion, which is shown. It has a
wingspan of 36 inches that yields 194 square
inches of wing area. The flying weight is 16.5
ounces using a three-cell, 850 mAh Li-Poly
battery pack and a Himax 2808 brushless motor
turning an 8 x 4DD propeller. Brian reports that
the model performs nicely.
The half-size Orion comes as a full kit
containing laser-cut parts, canopy, color photoillustrated
building manual, and hardware.
Please see the source listing for BMJR Model
Products’ contact information.
Pat Tritle produces many nice kit designs for
manufacturers. The only “problem” with this is
the lead time required for a kit maker to get a
new model into the eagerly waiting builder’s
hands.
Fortunately, Pat does sell some of his
designs as short kits, through Pat’s Custom
Models. The time required to place a short kit
on the market is considerably less than that
required to produce the nice full kits that
vendors offer.
Pat’s short-kit business is especially good
news, considering what he has recently added
to the lineup. For starters, he has a wonderful
version of a popular general-aviationmanufacturer
twin. Used in the later episodes of
the old Sky King television series, this aircraft
has been a longtime favorite of mine.
The photos Pat provided have lit my fire.
The model spans almost 54 inches but has a
flying weight of only 33 ounces. Power comes
from two Suppo 2208/17 brushless motors
turning 9 x 4.7 propellers, driven by a two-cell,
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack in each nacelle.
The Suppo motors came from LightFlite RC.
All control functions are included. Pat also shows
the different tail configurations that were used on
the full-scale airplane so that the builder can
make the version he or she prefers.
In addition to his extensive line of models
representing full-scale aircraft, Pat likes to dabble
in the world of fantasy scale, which are models of
airplanes that could have been or could be fullscale
aircraft. His other new short kit offering is
in this category; see the photo of the appealing
Inspirer biplane that came from his fertile mind
and talented hands.
The Inspirer has a top wingspan of 42.5
inches and a bottom wingspan of 34.8 inches, for
a combined area of 395 square inches. The flying
weight is only 14.1 ounces. It can’t get much
better than that for small-field flying. And it
doesn’t hurt that the airplane has such appealing
lines.
Pat used the cowl and dummy engine
cylinders from his 1:8-scale Piper L-4, so I guess
the Inspirer is a 1:8-scale model of what might
be. Oh yeah, and the Inspirer has full flight
controls and gets its motive force from a Suppo
2212/13 brushless motor turning a GWS 9 x 5
propeller driven by a 1320 mAh, two-cell battery
pack.
Pat’s contact information is in the source
listing at the end of the column.
This brings me to the end of this installment.
With flying season upon us, I hope to see some of
you at the upcoming events. I look forward to
hearing from you regarding your modeling
projects or others’ models you find interesting.
I can be contacted by e-mail or postal mail.
My contact information is in the “Sources”
listing. MA
Sources:
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
Dare Design and Engineering
(800) 578-3273
www.darehobby.com
Bob Selman Designs
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pat’s Custom Models
(505) 296-4511
www.patscustom-models.com
LightFlite RC
http://lightflightrc.com
Paul Bradley
10201 Scarletoak Dr.
Independence KY 41051
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:30 AM Page 104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 101,102,104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 101,102,104
IT SURE IS interesting to see how far the world of RTF models has come in
recent years. The range of size and capabilities continues to expand. The
prices of many are also appealing. I have dabbled with some of the smaller
RTFs.
My reason for mentioning this growing segment of the model aviation
world is to comment on things that some innovative modelers are doing with
these products. Many of the RTFs seem to have been introduced as toys
rather than something a person who is already in the hobby of flying objects
would want. Perhaps because of the popularity of the “toys” in the
established community of modelers, more and more of the mainstream
model aviation companies are now making respectable RTF products.
Many current RTFs offer some nice components to modelers who like to
have more of a hand in creating their flying objects. One that I see mentioned
often lately is the ParkZone Vapor. It is a nice
micro RC RTF that can be flown in tiny indoor
spaces.
An excellent feature of the Vapor is the use
of a 2.4 GHz DSM2 digital spread spectrum
radio system. The receiver is a small “brick”
that contains the receiver, two servos, and a
motor speed control. The complete airborne
package weighs only 3.3 grams and is
approximately 1 inch square.
It did not take long for people who build their
models to start experimenting with the
ParkZone brick radio. The small size and
integrated component layout are ideal for indoor
flyers and some of the smaller outdoor
airplanes.
Although a small model is nothing new,
dealing with the smaller components has often
kept people from trying this enjoyable aspect of
the hobby. The brick layout of the ParkZone
radio is a big help in getting around that issue.
You don’t have to deal with installing and
wiring servos, or actuators, inside a small
airframe.
With the ParkZone brick, the electrical
hookup is already completed. You just need to
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
RTF models: a boon to the builder
Also included in this column:
• Dare Design extra-light
• Half-size vintage Pattern
models
• New short kits from Pat
Tritle
John Krouse makes his 20-inch indoor flyer easier to transport by using
plug-in wing panels. The model is powered with a 6mm pager motor.
John Krouse is also taking advantage of the brick radio system
that comes from a ParkZone Vapor RTF model.
George Laskar used the ParkZone brick radio to convert this 28-inch-span FF Dare
Design Aeronca Chief to RC. It flies great at 1.5 ounces.
April 2009 101
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 10:02 AM Page 101
102 MODEL AVIATION
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products built this half-size Kasmirski Orion and is offering
kits. A three-cell Li-Poly battery powers the Himax 2808 motor.
Another beauty from Pat Tritle is available as a short kit. He designs so quickly that his
manufacturing clients can’t all keep up.
What Pat’s beautiful general-aviation twin looks like in the air.
The prototype uses Suppo motors from LightFlite RC.
Another new short kit from Pat Tritle is his fantasy-scale 42-inchspan
Inspirer biplane. The stylish Cub cowling is tastefully employed.
plug in the motor, run the pushrods, and mount
the single-cell Li-Poly battery. That makes life
in the small RC world so much easier.
I do have some examples of models set up
with the ParkZone brick radio. One that is
intended for indoor flying comes from regular
contributor John Krouse.
If you recall any of John’s models from past
columns, you might know that he likes to
innovate. His current project explores the use of
a ParkZone brick radio along with issues
associated with transporting an aircraft from
home to the flying site.
The photos that John provided show his
foam-wing airplane. Spanning 20 inches, it
becomes more of a handful to transport.
Most indoor models are carried inside a box
to protect them from wind and other elements
between their storage spaces and flying spaces.
Rather than find or build a box large enough for
a long wing, John adopted a common outdoorsailplane
practice of setting up the wing with
plug-in panels.
He uses small carbon-fiber tubes in each
wing half that slide onto piano-wire stubs on the
fuselage pylon—a nice arrangement. The closeup
photo shows the wing mounts along with the
ParkZone brick radio.
The model is powered with a 6mm pager
motor that drives a 4-inch propeller through a
5.4:1 Gasparin gearbox. A 70 mAh Li-Poly
single-cell battery is used for energy, and the
total flying weight is 18 grams (.6 ounce). The
stock Vapor weighs 15 grams.
The open layout of John’s model makes it
easy to see the nicely integrated package of the
ParkZone brick radio. You can see how easy it
is to hook up the pushrods, motor, and battery.
Keep this in mind for the next project I am
featuring.
Pat Tritle let me know about a friend, George
Laskar, who has used a ParkZone brick radio to
convert a rubber-powered FF Aeronca Chief kit
from Dare Design and Engineering to an
electric-powered RC model. It is a nice
example of what can be done with the
ParkZone brick for models to be flown in
outdoor small-field venues.
The Chief has a wingspan of 28 inches. You
might think, as I did, that an airplane that size is
too large for the ParkZone brick. George has
shown us not to limit our thinking. His RC
Aeronca Chief that sports Coverite Microlite
covering weighs only 1.5 ounces and performs
well using a 110 mAh single Li-Poly cell.
Based on John Krouse’s and George
Laskar’s models, I can see an almost unlimited
set of possibilities for the ParkZone brick radio
system. Apparently Bob Selman does too; he is
now selling the radio separately.
You no longer have to buy a complete RTF
package to gain access to the system. Please see
the “Sources” listing at the end for Bob’s
contact information.
Half-Size Vintage Pattern Models—A
Continuing Story: In past columns I have
shared information about half-size versions of
the Fred Dunn Astro-Hog and Ed Kasmirski
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:25 AM Page 102
Taurus that I built. They give me a feel for the
vintage RC Aerobatics (Pattern) aircraft at my
favorite small-field venues.
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products is
also interested in half-size vintage Pattern
airplanes. He is adding some to his lineup of
laser-cut kits.
To get things started, Brian built a half-size
Ed Kasmirski Orion, which is shown. It has a
wingspan of 36 inches that yields 194 square
inches of wing area. The flying weight is 16.5
ounces using a three-cell, 850 mAh Li-Poly
battery pack and a Himax 2808 brushless motor
turning an 8 x 4DD propeller. Brian reports that
the model performs nicely.
The half-size Orion comes as a full kit
containing laser-cut parts, canopy, color photoillustrated
building manual, and hardware.
Please see the source listing for BMJR Model
Products’ contact information.
Pat Tritle produces many nice kit designs for
manufacturers. The only “problem” with this is
the lead time required for a kit maker to get a
new model into the eagerly waiting builder’s
hands.
Fortunately, Pat does sell some of his
designs as short kits, through Pat’s Custom
Models. The time required to place a short kit
on the market is considerably less than that
required to produce the nice full kits that
vendors offer.
Pat’s short-kit business is especially good
news, considering what he has recently added
to the lineup. For starters, he has a wonderful
version of a popular general-aviationmanufacturer
twin. Used in the later episodes of
the old Sky King television series, this aircraft
has been a longtime favorite of mine.
The photos Pat provided have lit my fire.
The model spans almost 54 inches but has a
flying weight of only 33 ounces. Power comes
from two Suppo 2208/17 brushless motors
turning 9 x 4.7 propellers, driven by a two-cell,
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack in each nacelle.
The Suppo motors came from LightFlite RC.
All control functions are included. Pat also shows
the different tail configurations that were used on
the full-scale airplane so that the builder can
make the version he or she prefers.
In addition to his extensive line of models
representing full-scale aircraft, Pat likes to dabble
in the world of fantasy scale, which are models of
airplanes that could have been or could be fullscale
aircraft. His other new short kit offering is
in this category; see the photo of the appealing
Inspirer biplane that came from his fertile mind
and talented hands.
The Inspirer has a top wingspan of 42.5
inches and a bottom wingspan of 34.8 inches, for
a combined area of 395 square inches. The flying
weight is only 14.1 ounces. It can’t get much
better than that for small-field flying. And it
doesn’t hurt that the airplane has such appealing
lines.
Pat used the cowl and dummy engine
cylinders from his 1:8-scale Piper L-4, so I guess
the Inspirer is a 1:8-scale model of what might
be. Oh yeah, and the Inspirer has full flight
controls and gets its motive force from a Suppo
2212/13 brushless motor turning a GWS 9 x 5
propeller driven by a 1320 mAh, two-cell battery
pack.
Pat’s contact information is in the source
listing at the end of the column.
This brings me to the end of this installment.
With flying season upon us, I hope to see some of
you at the upcoming events. I look forward to
hearing from you regarding your modeling
projects or others’ models you find interesting.
I can be contacted by e-mail or postal mail.
My contact information is in the “Sources”
listing. MA
Sources:
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
Dare Design and Engineering
(800) 578-3273
www.darehobby.com
Bob Selman Designs
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pat’s Custom Models
(505) 296-4511
www.patscustom-models.com
LightFlite RC
http://lightflightrc.com
Paul Bradley
10201 Scarletoak Dr.
Independence KY 41051
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:30 AM Page 104
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 101,102,104
IT SURE IS interesting to see how far the world of RTF models has come in
recent years. The range of size and capabilities continues to expand. The
prices of many are also appealing. I have dabbled with some of the smaller
RTFs.
My reason for mentioning this growing segment of the model aviation
world is to comment on things that some innovative modelers are doing with
these products. Many of the RTFs seem to have been introduced as toys
rather than something a person who is already in the hobby of flying objects
would want. Perhaps because of the popularity of the “toys” in the
established community of modelers, more and more of the mainstream
model aviation companies are now making respectable RTF products.
Many current RTFs offer some nice components to modelers who like to
have more of a hand in creating their flying objects. One that I see mentioned
often lately is the ParkZone Vapor. It is a nice
micro RC RTF that can be flown in tiny indoor
spaces.
An excellent feature of the Vapor is the use
of a 2.4 GHz DSM2 digital spread spectrum
radio system. The receiver is a small “brick”
that contains the receiver, two servos, and a
motor speed control. The complete airborne
package weighs only 3.3 grams and is
approximately 1 inch square.
It did not take long for people who build their
models to start experimenting with the
ParkZone brick radio. The small size and
integrated component layout are ideal for indoor
flyers and some of the smaller outdoor
airplanes.
Although a small model is nothing new,
dealing with the smaller components has often
kept people from trying this enjoyable aspect of
the hobby. The brick layout of the ParkZone
radio is a big help in getting around that issue.
You don’t have to deal with installing and
wiring servos, or actuators, inside a small
airframe.
With the ParkZone brick, the electrical
hookup is already completed. You just need to
Small-Field Flying Paul Bradley | [email protected]
RTF models: a boon to the builder
Also included in this column:
• Dare Design extra-light
• Half-size vintage Pattern
models
• New short kits from Pat
Tritle
John Krouse makes his 20-inch indoor flyer easier to transport by using
plug-in wing panels. The model is powered with a 6mm pager motor.
John Krouse is also taking advantage of the brick radio system
that comes from a ParkZone Vapor RTF model.
George Laskar used the ParkZone brick radio to convert this 28-inch-span FF Dare
Design Aeronca Chief to RC. It flies great at 1.5 ounces.
April 2009 101
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 10:02 AM Page 101
102 MODEL AVIATION
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products built this half-size Kasmirski Orion and is offering
kits. A three-cell Li-Poly battery powers the Himax 2808 motor.
Another beauty from Pat Tritle is available as a short kit. He designs so quickly that his
manufacturing clients can’t all keep up.
What Pat’s beautiful general-aviation twin looks like in the air.
The prototype uses Suppo motors from LightFlite RC.
Another new short kit from Pat Tritle is his fantasy-scale 42-inchspan
Inspirer biplane. The stylish Cub cowling is tastefully employed.
plug in the motor, run the pushrods, and mount
the single-cell Li-Poly battery. That makes life
in the small RC world so much easier.
I do have some examples of models set up
with the ParkZone brick radio. One that is
intended for indoor flying comes from regular
contributor John Krouse.
If you recall any of John’s models from past
columns, you might know that he likes to
innovate. His current project explores the use of
a ParkZone brick radio along with issues
associated with transporting an aircraft from
home to the flying site.
The photos that John provided show his
foam-wing airplane. Spanning 20 inches, it
becomes more of a handful to transport.
Most indoor models are carried inside a box
to protect them from wind and other elements
between their storage spaces and flying spaces.
Rather than find or build a box large enough for
a long wing, John adopted a common outdoorsailplane
practice of setting up the wing with
plug-in panels.
He uses small carbon-fiber tubes in each
wing half that slide onto piano-wire stubs on the
fuselage pylon—a nice arrangement. The closeup
photo shows the wing mounts along with the
ParkZone brick radio.
The model is powered with a 6mm pager
motor that drives a 4-inch propeller through a
5.4:1 Gasparin gearbox. A 70 mAh Li-Poly
single-cell battery is used for energy, and the
total flying weight is 18 grams (.6 ounce). The
stock Vapor weighs 15 grams.
The open layout of John’s model makes it
easy to see the nicely integrated package of the
ParkZone brick radio. You can see how easy it
is to hook up the pushrods, motor, and battery.
Keep this in mind for the next project I am
featuring.
Pat Tritle let me know about a friend, George
Laskar, who has used a ParkZone brick radio to
convert a rubber-powered FF Aeronca Chief kit
from Dare Design and Engineering to an
electric-powered RC model. It is a nice
example of what can be done with the
ParkZone brick for models to be flown in
outdoor small-field venues.
The Chief has a wingspan of 28 inches. You
might think, as I did, that an airplane that size is
too large for the ParkZone brick. George has
shown us not to limit our thinking. His RC
Aeronca Chief that sports Coverite Microlite
covering weighs only 1.5 ounces and performs
well using a 110 mAh single Li-Poly cell.
Based on John Krouse’s and George
Laskar’s models, I can see an almost unlimited
set of possibilities for the ParkZone brick radio
system. Apparently Bob Selman does too; he is
now selling the radio separately.
You no longer have to buy a complete RTF
package to gain access to the system. Please see
the “Sources” listing at the end for Bob’s
contact information.
Half-Size Vintage Pattern Models—A
Continuing Story: In past columns I have
shared information about half-size versions of
the Fred Dunn Astro-Hog and Ed Kasmirski
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:25 AM Page 102
Taurus that I built. They give me a feel for the
vintage RC Aerobatics (Pattern) aircraft at my
favorite small-field venues.
Brian Malin of BMJR Model Products is
also interested in half-size vintage Pattern
airplanes. He is adding some to his lineup of
laser-cut kits.
To get things started, Brian built a half-size
Ed Kasmirski Orion, which is shown. It has a
wingspan of 36 inches that yields 194 square
inches of wing area. The flying weight is 16.5
ounces using a three-cell, 850 mAh Li-Poly
battery pack and a Himax 2808 brushless motor
turning an 8 x 4DD propeller. Brian reports that
the model performs nicely.
The half-size Orion comes as a full kit
containing laser-cut parts, canopy, color photoillustrated
building manual, and hardware.
Please see the source listing for BMJR Model
Products’ contact information.
Pat Tritle produces many nice kit designs for
manufacturers. The only “problem” with this is
the lead time required for a kit maker to get a
new model into the eagerly waiting builder’s
hands.
Fortunately, Pat does sell some of his
designs as short kits, through Pat’s Custom
Models. The time required to place a short kit
on the market is considerably less than that
required to produce the nice full kits that
vendors offer.
Pat’s short-kit business is especially good
news, considering what he has recently added
to the lineup. For starters, he has a wonderful
version of a popular general-aviationmanufacturer
twin. Used in the later episodes of
the old Sky King television series, this aircraft
has been a longtime favorite of mine.
The photos Pat provided have lit my fire.
The model spans almost 54 inches but has a
flying weight of only 33 ounces. Power comes
from two Suppo 2208/17 brushless motors
turning 9 x 4.7 propellers, driven by a two-cell,
1320 mAh Li-Poly battery pack in each nacelle.
The Suppo motors came from LightFlite RC.
All control functions are included. Pat also shows
the different tail configurations that were used on
the full-scale airplane so that the builder can
make the version he or she prefers.
In addition to his extensive line of models
representing full-scale aircraft, Pat likes to dabble
in the world of fantasy scale, which are models of
airplanes that could have been or could be fullscale
aircraft. His other new short kit offering is
in this category; see the photo of the appealing
Inspirer biplane that came from his fertile mind
and talented hands.
The Inspirer has a top wingspan of 42.5
inches and a bottom wingspan of 34.8 inches, for
a combined area of 395 square inches. The flying
weight is only 14.1 ounces. It can’t get much
better than that for small-field flying. And it
doesn’t hurt that the airplane has such appealing
lines.
Pat used the cowl and dummy engine
cylinders from his 1:8-scale Piper L-4, so I guess
the Inspirer is a 1:8-scale model of what might
be. Oh yeah, and the Inspirer has full flight
controls and gets its motive force from a Suppo
2212/13 brushless motor turning a GWS 9 x 5
propeller driven by a 1320 mAh, two-cell battery
pack.
Pat’s contact information is in the source
listing at the end of the column.
This brings me to the end of this installment.
With flying season upon us, I hope to see some of
you at the upcoming events. I look forward to
hearing from you regarding your modeling
projects or others’ models you find interesting.
I can be contacted by e-mail or postal mail.
My contact information is in the “Sources”
listing. MA
Sources:
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
Dare Design and Engineering
(800) 578-3273
www.darehobby.com
Bob Selman Designs
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
BMJR Model Products
(321) 537-1159
www.bmjrmodels.com
Pat’s Custom Models
(505) 296-4511
www.patscustom-models.com
LightFlite RC
http://lightflightrc.com
Paul Bradley
10201 Scarletoak Dr.
Independence KY 41051
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